Agenda Volume 2 - Methodist Conference

30. Methodist Academies and Schools Trust
7.3 MAST has commissioned a Data
Dashboard to track the performance
of each of its schools. This
information is being used by the
ESDT to identify areas of strength
and weakness in schools and to
implement programmes where
necessary.
7.4 A partnership with Roehampton
University is being developed
to ensure quality continued
professional development can be
offered to schools.
7.5 MAST is in discussion with a number
of ‘learning providers’ to further
develop its support to schools
including Oxford Brookes University,
CfBT Education Trust, the DRB
Group, BDO and Edison Learning.
7.6 A number of schools have and are
facing expansion issues, including
large building projects which MAST is
supporting.
7.7 Head teacher recruitment and
appointment continues to be a
significant issue. A number of
successful appointments have
been made and the process has
been supported by the Education
Development and Improvement
Officers.
8. Academy Conversions and
Developments
8.1 Any school that converts either as a
sponsored academy or as a good or
outstanding school will be held under
the umbrella of MAST.
8.2 Hawkesley Church Primary is the
first sponsored academy, in a single
academy trust, sponsored by the
Birmingham Diocese and MAST.
It will be launched officially in
September 2013.
8.3 MAST is leading the development of
a number of Multi Academy Trusts
(MATs) with diocesan partners to
support schools in difficulty. These
include a South Yorkshire MAT with
Sheffield Diocese and a Lincoln MAT
with Lincoln diocese. Two schools will
then become sponsored academies
and be the first schools into the
respective MAT.
8.4 MAST is supporting two outstanding
schools in the Bolton and Rochdale
District to establish a MAT as they
convert to academy status.
8.5 MAST has agreed a Memorandum of
understanding with Oxford Brookes
University. This was originally agreed
as part of a support package offered
to a community school in Oxford. MAST
was chosen as the preferred sponsors
by the governors of the school
following a competitive process. The
school was then inspected by Ofsted
and received a good judgement,
thus removing the threat of academy
conversion. MAST continues to
develop its relationship both with the
school and the University.
8.6 It is predicted that more schools
will convert to academy status
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Conference Agenda 2013